Speaker Bio

More about the conference speakers

Conference Speakers

Dr. Priya Basu

Executive Head, The Pandemic Fund, World Bank

A respected voice in global health and development finance, Priya has shaped international policy on health and crisis financing through influential platforms such as the G20, G7, and IDA. She holds a first class B.A (Hons.) in Economics, M.A in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and postgraduate degrees in development economics from Merton College, Oxford University, U.K.

Dr. Basu is the founding Executive Head of the Pandemic Fund at the World Bank, where she has led the Fund’s design and operationalization to enable rapid scale up. Under her stewardship, the Fund has already mobilized $3 billion in seed capital and awarded grants that have catalyzed more than $6 billion in co-financing and co-investments to strengthen pandemic preparedness in over 75 low- and middle-income countries. Priya has played a pivotal role in aligning diverse stakeholders, including donor and client governments, multilateral development banks, UN agencies, civil society, and the private sector, positioning the Fund as a key driver of collaboration. During the pandemic, she led the Multilateral Leaders Task Force on COVID-19 (World Bank Group, IMF, WHO, WTO) improving data and transparency on medical countermeasures to support the policy response.

Priya previously led the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, advancing women’s economic empowerment globally. Prior to that, as Manager of the World Bank’s $21 billion portfolio of trust funds and partnerships, she shaped investments in global public goods.

Prof. Susan Hopkins, CBE, FMedSci

Chief Executive Officer, UK Health Security Agency
Healthcare Epidemiologist;
Consultant Infectious Diseases & Microbiology

Professor Susan Hopkins CBE FMedSci is an infectious disease clinician, epidemiologist and public health leader. She has 30 years health experience – clinical, operational and academic; and 15 years in national and international leadership roles. She was Clinical Director for Infection services in the Royal Free Hospital from 2016 to 2018. She played pivotal roles in the UK’s COVID-19 response, serving as Incident Director at Public Health England, Interim Chief Medical Advisor to NHS Test and Trace, and Strategic Response Director during the pandemic. From November 2021 to August 2025, she served as Chief Medical Advisor, Director General at UKHSA. She commenced as CEO in September 2025.

Prof. Chas Bountra

Pro-Vice Chancellor for Innovation
Professor of Translational Medicine;
University of Oxford

Prof. Bountra is widely recognised as one of the leading figures shaping the future of biomedical discovery. A driving force behind Oxford’s innovation ecosystem, he plays a central role in accelerating the translation of cutting-edge research into real-world impact—spanning new therapies, technologies, and partnerships that advance global health.

A champion of open science and cross-sector collaboration, Bountra has been instrumental in forging alliances between academia, industry, government, and philanthropy to tackle some of the world’s most urgent medical challenges. His work has influenced drug discovery pipelines worldwide, and he is known for bringing scientific communities together to enable faster, more inclusive innovation. With a career that bridges scientific excellence and strategic leadership, Bountra continues to mentor the next generation of innovators while helping shape Oxford’s position as a global hub for transformative research

Prof. Caroline Buckee

Deputy Director at the Institute for Disease Modeling within the Gates Foundation
Professor of Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Prof. Caroline Buckee is a Deputy Director at the Institute for Disease Modelling within the Gates Foundation and a tenured Professor of Epidemiology at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. At the Gates Foundation she leads the Elimination and Eradication team, covering malaria, polio, and immunization modelling and analytics to support Foundation strategy and country programs. Prof. Buckee was the Associate Director of Harvard’s Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (CCDD) from 2013-2023, and she is the co-founder and co-director of Crisis Ready (crisisready.io), a data-driven disaster response partnership between Harvard’s Data Science Initiative (HDSI) and Direct Relief. Prof. Buckee’s academic research focuses on developing analytical and data collection tools that support governments and communities to understand and control infectious diseases, with a particular focus on vector borne diseases and malaria. She also co-leads the Harvard Salata Institute South Asia Climate and Health Research Cluster to measure the impact of extreme heat on working women in the informal sector, and to co-design adaptation strategies with women’s organizations. Her group also works directly with communities in South America and South Asia to develop low-cost, distributed technologies for data-driven advocacy efforts and community-based interventions.

The Honourable Dr. Lackram Bodoe

Minister of Health
Ministry of Health, Trinidad and Tobago

Dr. Lackram Bodoe currently serves as the Minister of Health of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Member of Parliament for Oropouche West. He previously represented the constituency of Fyzabad in the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago.

Born and raised in St. John’s Trace, Avocat Village, Fyzabad, Dr. Bodoe is a medical doctor by profession, specialising in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. His medical training took him to institutions in Jamaica and the United Kingdom, and he worked at the San Fernando General Hospital for over 20 years. He also held the position of Chairman of the South-West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) from October 2010 to August 2015.

Under his leadership, several major healthcare initiatives were successfully implemented. With decades of experience in healthcare and public service, Dr. Bodoe continues to advocate for stronger, more accessible health systems and community development throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

Hon. Kevin Bernard

Minister of Health and Wellness
Ministry of Health and Wellness, Belize

Hon. Kevin Bernard was born on September 30, 1978, in Orange Walk Town, Belize. He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Accounting from Galen University, along with degrees from St. John’s College Junior College and the University of Belize.

His professional career began in the private sector, where he advanced through leadership positions at Courts Belize (now Unicomer) and Speednet Communications. In March 2012, he entered public service as Mayor of Orange Walk Town, where he served three consecutive terms until 2018, leading a period of unprecedented municipal development.

In November 2020, he was elected as Area Representative for Orange Walk East and appointed Minister of Health and Wellness. He was re-elected to the House of Representatives in March 2025 and continues to serve as Minister of Health & Wellness, leading national health reforms and strengthening Belize’s healthcare system.

Hon. Bernard has been a champion for youth, education, and community development, serving in various leadership roles within the People’s United Party and as Chairman of the Board of Orange Walk Technical High School. Guided by his principle, “If you sail on the ship of ambition, you will dock at the port of success,” he remains dedicated to advancing Belize’s progress and aspires to one day serve as Prime Minister of Belize.

The Honourable Philip Telesford

Minister of Health
Ministry of Health, Grenada

Philip A Telesford is a Chartered Accountant by profession. His expertise had led him to serve as Director on many local boards including the Grenada Co-operative League Limited, the Grenada Public Service Co-operative Credit Union (ARIZA), Gravel, Concrete and Emulsion Production Corporation and Petro Caribe.

Philip is a husband and father of 4. Additionally, he is an active member of his local church.

He was elected to serve in the Lower House of Parliament on June 23rd, 2022. He is the Leader of Government Business in the Lower House of Parliament, past Minister for Social and Community Development, Housing and Gender Affairs and is presently the Minister for Health.

Dr. Moti Ramgopal, MD, FACP, FIDSA

Consultant Physician, Professor of Medicine
Florida State University College of Medicine
Founder of Midway Immunology and Research Center / Non-Profit Midway Specialty Care Center

Dr. Moti Ramgopal is a Consultant Physician, Professor of Medicine at the Florida State University College of Medicine, and founder of Midway Immunology and Research Center and the nonprofit Midway Specialty Care Center. A graduate of the University of the West Indies, he is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases.

Renowned for clinical research and rapid translation of innovation into care, Dr. Ramgopal has led a network of 17 clinics across Florida serving over 10,000 patients and overseen more than 200 clinical trials spanning HIV, COVID-19, hepatitis C, and antimicrobial therapies. He has served as Principal Investigator for the SOLAR study and is a global advocate for long-acting (LA) treatments. He has authored over 230 abstracts and peer-reviewed publications in journals including The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, AIDS, Annals of Internal Medicine, and JAIDS.

Born in Guyana, Dr. Ramgopal maintains a deep commitment to Caribbean health. His contributions include funding continuing medical education in Guyana, founding the 592 Health Digest to improve public health literacy, serving as an HIV consultant to the Turks and Caicos Ministry of Health, and bringing PCR testing and novel COVID-19 treatments to Guyana. More recently, he has sponsored the CARPHA Conference and launched “The Great Catch” to expand prostate cancer screening. His influence extends globally, including leadership in PrEP training for physicians in Brazil. His vision is to end the HIV epidemic in the Caribbean through education, access to novel drugs, and improved HIV management.

Professor Elsie Le Franc, M.Phil, PhD

Social Scientist

Professor Elsie Le Franc is a social scientist with extensive experience in medical sociology and regional development. She holds a B.Sc. in Sociology from the University of Manchester and completed M.Phil. and PhD studies in Social Sciences.

From 1973 to 2005, Professor Le Franc served in the Department of Sociology and the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES), working in Jamaica and Barbados. In her later years, she led the Jamaican branch of SALISES, focusing on medical sociology research and analysis in health inequalities, health reform, health policy, and the demographic and socio-economic factors influencing these areas.

In addition to her academic work, she provided consultancy services to international agencies including WHO, the Global Fund, UNICEF, GAVI, and UNDP, contributing to the appraisal of country submissions for funding. Her final research focus explored interpersonal violence and aggression.

Professor Jane Hirst

Chair of Global Women’s Health
Imperial College London
Director of Women’s Health
George Institute for Global Health

Professor Jane Hirst is an obstetrician and global women’s health specialist passionate about gender equity and improving the lives of all women and girls. After completing her clinical training and PhD in Australia and Viet Nam, she was awarded a Nuffield Medical Fellowship by the University of Oxford in 2013, during which she worked with the INTERGROWTH-21st group and helped develop the digital intervention GDmHealth, now used across the UK.

Since 2023, she has led the Women’s Health Program at the George Institute for Global Health and is Chair of Global Women’s Health at Imperial College London. This global programme focuses on several key areas: sex and gender equity in medical research, leveraging pregnancy as an opportunity to improve women’s lifelong health, developing novel digital and AI solutions to promote health equity, and protecting women and girls from the effects of climate change.

Her UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship focuses on using pregnancy as an opportunity to improve women’s lifelong health. She leads the SMARThealth Pregnancy program, which is being evaluated in eight countries, including four in the Caribbean, as part of the NIHR RIGHT 7 Program.

She was profiled by The Lancet in 2024 and received the FIGO Women’s Award in 2025, which recognises female obstetrician-gynaecologists.

Professor Vishwanie Budhram-Mahadeo, PhD, HCA, FRSB

Head of Molecular Biology Development and Disease (MBDD) Unit, Pre-clinical and Fundamental Science Dept, UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science

Professor Vishwanie (Shanie) Budhram‑Mahadeo is Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at University College London (UCL) and an internationally recognised expert in transcriptional regulation and its role in health and disease, with research spanning cancer and cardiometabolic biology as well as sex‑specific disease mechanisms, including infertility. With nearly 30 years of active research experience, she has published more than 65 peer-reviewed papers in high-impact journals, with research metrics including an H-index of 23, over 1,600 citations, and a ResearchGate score of 35.7.

Her research has been supported by successfully competing for over £2.7 million in research funding as principal investigator, awarded by major bodies including the British Heart Foundation, Rosetrees Trust, Dunhill Medical Trust, Breast Cancer Campaign, the AICR, and others. She collaborates widely with national and international partners and is frequently invited to present her findings at global scientific meetings.

Dr. Sonia S. Anand, MD, PhD, FRCPc, FCAHS, FRS(c)

Professor of Medicine
Associate Vice President of Global Health
McMaster University

Dr. Sonia Anand is a distinguished physician-scientist and global health leader whose work has transformed Canada’s approach to cardiovascular health, health equity, and Indigenous and population health research. She serves as Associate Vice-President of Global Health and Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at McMaster University.

Dr. Anand’s research has revealed how sex, ethnicity, and social determinants influence cardiometabolic risk—shifting practice away from “one-size-fits-all” models toward equity-focused care. Her studies have set new standards for defining obesity, created validated ethnic-specific risk scoring systems, and led to the development and testing of community-based interventions in South Asian and Indigenous populations. Her findings have shaped clinical guidelines, policy frameworks, and global conversations on health equity.

Dr. Niven Narain

President and CEO of BPGBIO Inc

A pioneering scientist-entrepreneur, Dr. Narain oversees development of the company’s expansive pipeline, including therapeutic and diagnostic candidates in oncology, neurology, rare diseases and metabolic disorders. BPGbio, Inc., is a leading Boston-based biotechnology company using AI-powered, biology-first approaches to accelerate drug discovery and diagnostics.

Before co-founding BPGbio, Dr. Narain trained in cancer biology and cutaneous oncology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where he later directed research in the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery. His work has led to numerous high-impact publications, major scientific collaborations and recognition across the biopharma industry — including his selection to The Medicine Maker Power List 2025.

Widely regarded as a thought leader on the future of AI in medicine, Dr. Narain is a frequent speaker on precision therapeutics, ethical innovation and the evolving landscape of biotech. He continues to champion a patient-centric, data-driven approach to developing the next generation of transformative treatments.

CARPHA Head office

16-18 Jamaica Blvd,
Federation Park,
Port of Spain,
Trinidad & Tobago
+1-868: 299-0820; 299-0895; 622-4261

CARPHA Jamaica

Hope Gardens,
Kingston 6,
Jamaica
+1-876: 977-3540; 702-4235
+1-876: 977-0974

CARPHA St. Lucia

P.O. Box 1111,
The Morne, Castries,
Saint Lucia
+1-758:452-2501; 452-1087
+1-758: 453-2721